A behavioral approach to occupational safety: pinpointing and reinforcing safe performance in a food manufacturing plant.

The behavior analysis approach was used to improve worker safety in two departments in a food manufacturing plant. Desired safety practices were identified, permitting construction of observational codes suitable for observing workers' on-the-job performance over a 25-week period of time. The intervention consisted of an explanation and visual presentation of the desired behaviors, as well as frequent, low-cost reinforcement in the form of feedback. A withinsubject (multiple baseline) design was used. Employees in the two departments substantially improved their safety performance from 70% and 78% to 96% and 99%, respectively, after the staggered introduction of the program. During the reversal phase, performance returned to baseline (71% and 72%). It was concluded that the intervention, particularly the frequent feedback, was effective in improving safety performance. Not only did employees react favorably to the program, but the company was later able to maintain the program with a continuing decline in the injury frequency rate. The results suggest that behaviorally denning and positively reinforcing safe practices is a viable approach to occupational accident reduction.